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You are here: Home / Grammar / Britney Spears & The Phrase “Are You Loving It..?”

Britney Spears & The Phrase “Are You Loving It..?”

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What’s new this week? Well, we know that American singer Britney Spears was sporting a new hairstyle at a concert in Las Vegas, according to The Huffington Post.

I actually I quite like her as a redhead – what do you reckon?

But if you were taught that the verb love is always used in the simple form [eg I love, You love, She loves], you might be horrified to see the Huffington Post asking its readers for their opinion of her new hairstyle using the present continuous form:

“Are you loving it?”

“Wait a minute,” you’re thinking, “I thought ‘love’ is simple.”

The Maccas Effect
Well, you’re right. Kinda. Usually love is simple, but on occasion it can be continuous…

The thing is, McDonald’s used “I’m lovin’ it” as their slogan a few years back, and this ‘continuous love’ entered into the language.

I’m sure you already know about their successful slogan. But did you know that “I’m lovin’ it” had appeared previously in a Justin Timberlake song..?

Apparently Maccas jumped onto the phrase and used it and hired Justin Timberlake as part of their new campaign.

It even survived his controversial appearance with Janet Jackson during the Super Bowl television coverage, where her breast was shown to the whole nation (which, btw, gave birth to the terrible new term wardrobe malfunction).

Here’s the videotape (of the song, not her breast):

“So can I say love in the continuous form?”

I’d only heard Americans saying “I’m loving it” until I started to say it too on occasion. And I’ve heard this form being used by other Aussies as well.

But I don’t know if it’s reached the UK yet. It will, the only question is when.

How it’s used though is more about enjoyment than real love.

You’ll hear people chatting in a cafe and saying the following:

I’m really loving this cake.
I’m really loving this weather.
I’m really liking this.

You might also hear it in the negative:

I’m not really liking this.
I’m not loving this at all.

But so far I haven’t heard anyone say:

I’m really hating this Big Mac.

“But I don’t want to sound like, like, a 19 year old.”

I hear ya. If you’re a lawyer travelling to New York for a conference, it might seem out of place to say “I’m really loving this heat.”

If you’re at college in California, then why not.

That’s why Maccas jumped onto it. It’s a ‘young’ phrase.

The Real Takeaway

Do you read the news in English? If you don’t, you’re missing out on the chance to see English in action, and you won’t be able to ‘spot’ any new words or trends.

If you just rely on your coursebook and your teacher, then you miss some of the colour in learning a language.

So why not click on your fave news site and see what other phrases you can find..? 😉

Read more

I’m lovin’ it – songfacts

The Present Simple in Everyday Conversation

Word Bank

What do you reckon = What do you think
To sport (a piece of clothing) – to wear something which you would like people to like or notice
Maccas – in Australia McDonald’s is called this. We have to find a nickname for everything, it seems..
Kinda – kind of (like ‘sorta’ is from ‘sort of’)
To give birth to – you usually give birth to a baby, but it can also be used to talk about a new idea which has been created

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Welcome to Get Into English. I’m David, an English teacher, traveller & language enthusiast from Melbourne Australia.
That’s me above in Bendigo, Victoria before Corona came!
I write articles on learning English especially for people wishing to live in or travel to Australia, and for those who are interested in business and all kinds of issues!

Older posts were written while I was in Europe, newer ones are from Australia.

Feel free to leave a comment!

davidsweetnam

This is a nice time to take a little break from po This is a nice time to take a little break from posting photos. This is from my 12 km walk to Middle Park last Thursday 😮 
Not quite sure what to do with the hundreds of photos I still have from during the lockdown 🤷‍♂️ 
But I’ll be back in Middle Park, hopefully tomorrow, it’s a beautiful part of Melbourne. 

Mej se hezky a zatim ahoj 🏝😊🌱

#výlet #cestujeme #cestujemespolu #melbournelife #melbournebeach #middlepark #heartmiddlepark #melbmoment #melbournemoment #beachlife🌴 #visitmelbourne #melbourneiloveyou #aussiebeaches #sunsetlovers #beachlover #plages #pláž #alaplaya #playabonita #modra #seaside #beachwalks 🏝
Walking home from Middle Park. Melbourne and the M Walking home from Middle Park. Melbourne and the Melbourne Cricket Ground at dusk 🏏 
So many magical moments in Australian sporting history have happened here. Hawthorn’s three-peat in 2013-15, Shane Warne’s 700th wicket, the 1992 World Cup, the 1956 Olympics. 
There are many walks you can go on from here - to the river, to East Melbourne, to Richmond. Or indeed up William Barak Bridge to the city 😊🌱☕️

#mcg #melbmoment #melbournemoment #checkmelbourne #výlet #cestujeme #cricketground #always #hawthornfc #naprochazce #stadiumhoppers #exploremelbourne #mynikonlife #urbanscape #trainspotting #citylife #urbanexplorer #railfans #vlak 🏝
If you’re not sure where to go, come here ☕️ If you’re not sure where to go, come here ☕️😃

I came here quite a bit during the lockdown. This one is from late October 🤗 And it’ll be waiting for you tomorrow. 

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I walked all afternoon from Richmond to Middle Par I walked all afternoon from Richmond to Middle Park last Thursday. Still posting some of the pictures 😃 This is Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park 🏝

#heartmiddlepark #melbmoment #melbournemoment #visitmelbourne #middlepark #cityscene #cityscapes #výlet #cestujemespolu #cestujeme #naprochazce #beachliving
Waiting for the sunset at Middle Park. The views f Waiting for the sunset at Middle Park. The views from those buildings must be amazing 🏝

#melbmoment #melbournemoment #výlet #slunce #zapadslunce #nebe #cestujeme #coucherdesoleil #heartmiddlepark #checkmelbourne #melbournebeach #summervibes☀️ #mynikonlife #beachdiaries #beachwalk 🏝
Melbourne is oddly tropical at times - I quite lik Melbourne is oddly tropical at times -
I quite like this 🌱🏝☀️

Middle Park, Melbourne 

3.12.20 😊 
#middlepark #heartmiddlepark #visitmelbourne #likemelbourne #checkmelbourne #vylet #cestujeme #naprochazce #tropicalvibes #mynikonlife #melbournegram #streetsofmelbourne #seeaustralia #melbournetodo 🏝
Middle Park, the red city. This street has many Au Middle Park, the red city. This street has many Australian Bottlebrush trees 😊

#bottlebrush #citylife #sundayvibes✨ #streetphotography #urbanjungle #citylifestyle #melbournemoments #melbmoment #mynikonlife #urbanscape #výlet #naprochazce #cestujeme 🌱
3.12.20
Late in the day in Middle Park, Melbourne 🏝 #h Late in the day in Middle Park, Melbourne 🏝

#heartmiddlepark #visitmelbourne #likemelbourne #jaro #checkmelbourne #printemps #melbmoment #melbournemoments #sunlover #beachvibes 🌱
The colours of Thursday 😍🏝🌱 #jacarandatr The colours of Thursday 😍🏝🌱

#jacarandatree #melbourne #melbmoment #melbournemoment #melbournegardens #queenvictoriagardens #výlet #cestujeme #mynikonlife #roseslovers #eurekatower #australia108 🌳
Richardson Street, Middle Park 🌳🌴🌱 #výl Richardson Street, Middle Park 🌳🌴🌱

#výlet #cestujeme #kostel #heartmiddlepark #checkmelbourne #likemelbourne #urbanscapes #beachtown 🏝
Middle Park is one of Melbourne’s smallest subur Middle Park is one of Melbourne’s smallest suburbs. If you haven’t been here, I totally recommend you visit 😊🌱☕️ Beautiful sea, churches, shops, homes and tree-lined streets. 

#middlepark #melbournebeach #visitmelbourne #likemelbourne #checkmelbourne #cestujeme #výlet #heartmiddlepark #beachlovers🌴
Wandering along Richardson Street, Middle Park 🌳 🏝 

#iheartmiddlepark #middlepark #heartmiddlepark #likemelbourne #checkmelbourne #tropicallife #beachlovers🌴
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